In trying to research a strange substance from my back porch I found a posting from 2008 where they seemed to have the same thing but I don't see that it was ever resolved. I wonder if someone might have an answer for me. I live in Easley, SC. About three days ago while it was raining I let my dog out onto our back porch to go down the steps into the yard. On the right hand side there is about a foot and a half where the roof dosen't cover the porch and the rain comes in. On the floor of the porch I saw hail. I didn't think too much about it until I came home later that night and it was still there. Now, on the other side of the porch is an area about a foot wide and it was there also. I stooped down to look at it and I picked one up - they ranged in size but mostly were about pea sized. I picked one up and rolled it around in my fingers. It was clear, gelatin-like, had no odor and was not greasy or slimy - it just kind of
disappeared. Looked all around, it wasn't on the ground or the grass underneath the porch and wasn't on the front porch. Didn't think too much about it until it was still there the next day. The bulk of it was gone off the floor boards and had gathered in the spaces between the boards. I talked to some local people and no one had any idea. I scooped some of it up and put it into a small glass bowl, covered it with saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Today I called the Clemson University Agricultural Department and the kind gentleman asked me about a dozen questions and the only thing he could think of was a slime mold, but he had never seen a clear one. I looked it up and this looks nothing like a slime mold. The porch is about 14 years old. We have owned the house for five years and have never stained or painted it. There is no new wood and we don't have any cherry trees or the trees that were referred to in that other post.
We are going to take it to a division of the agricultural department but not until next week and I'm wondering if it's ok to leave it that long. I would really appreciate any answers or suggestions. Thank you for your time.
Debra Bridges